Everton player charged over breaches of FA betting regulations
Martin Sherif is accused of placing dozens of wagers on football matches over a 15‑month period.
UK- Everton FC youngster Martin Sherif has been charged with breaching the Football Association’s betting regulations. It’s alleged that the Premier League club’s 20-year-old forward placed dozens of wagers on football matches over a 15‑month period.
Sherif joined the Stake-sponsored Merseyside club’s academy in 2019 after leaving Dutch side Almere City. He’s accused of making 61 bets between 20 November 2024 and 12 February 2026. He has until Monday to respond to the charges.
Although promoted to Everton’s senior squad midway through the 2024/25 campaign, Sherif has yet to feature in a competitive fixture for the Premier League side. He spent last season on loan in League One with Rotherham United and Port Vale, scoring two goals for each club in 24 appearances. Both teams were relegated to League Two at the end of the campaign.
Born in Liberia, Sherif’s development at Everton had been viewed as promising, but the allegations could cast a shadow over his fledgling career. If proven, they suggest he began gambling on football just months after turning 18, the legal minimum age for betting in the UK.
The case is also likely to increase the controversy around Everton’s sponsorship deal with Stake. Previously, front-of-shirt sponsor, the gambling operator now appears on Everton’s shirt sleeves to comply with the Premier League’s ban on front‑of‑shirt betting partnerships, which came into force with the new season. However, a consultation is currently underway on a proposal to ban all unlicensed gambling advertising in British sport. While previously active on the regulated market, Stake lost its Gambling Commission licence in early 2025.
Sherif’s case is the most prominent allegation of betting violations in English football since Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali was sanctioned in 2024. Tonali received a 10‑month suspension from Italy’s FIGC and a two‑month ban from the English FA after being linked to an illegal gambling ring.
Back in 2023, Nottingham Forest defender Harry Toffolo was banned for five months and Brentford striker Ivan Toney received an eight‑month suspension. The latter case provided fuel for campaigners against gambling sponsorship as Hollywood Bets was Brentford’s sponsor.
